ORMOC CITY – This city is one of the six (6) localities in the Philippines selected to receive Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring Equipment (RTWQME), which will be useful for managing water quality and protecting the environment as a whole.
It is accordingly a part of a nationwide initiative to protect the country’s vital water bodies because through real-time monitoring, authorities can immediately identify harmful algal blooms or pollution increases, allowing for prompt responses to save coastal ecosystems and communities.
A testing and commissioning of said equipment in this city was conducted in Ormoc Bay, led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Regional Office VIII together with City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez and City Councilor Lalaine A. Marcos, chairperson of the committee on environment, on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
During the activity, Mayor Lucy said that she wanted to make Ormoc a ‘blue zone’ where people can have long and healthy lives. She also emphasized that Blue Zones are places where communities enjoy longevity because they live in clean environments. “With clean air, clean surroundings, and clean water. Ormoc Bay has always been our lifeline, and we must ensure it remains healthy for future generations,” she said.
On the other hand, Councilor Marcos said that the said deployment validates Ormoc’s progress in sustainability and conservation. “It is encouraging to see national agencies recognizing the city’s efforts in environmental protection. We look forward to building more partnerships for initiatives like this,” said the councilor.
Furthermore, important indicators that show the general health of the local ecosystem, including dissolved oxygen, turbidity, salinity, and pH levels, will be continuously measured by the monitoring system. Water bodies frequently act as catch basins for agricultural and urban runoff, making them indicators of ecological health, which makes the project essential.
The deployment of the RTWQME was also witnessed by Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement Division OIC-Chief Janet T. Polea; Senior Environmental Specialist Rosario Udtohan; Imee Adriano of Boston Home Incorporated ; OIC-Ormoc City Environment and Natural Resources Department Ingrid Macabare; City Agriculture Department-Fishery, Coastal, and Aquatic Resources Management Division Head Irish Belmonte; and CENRO’s Angelyn Costelo.
Accordingly, other local government units that received said equipment include Boracay Island, Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, Lake Buhi in Camarines Sur, Sarangani Bay, and Siargao Island. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail AUGUST 18-24, 2025 issue)
